Rich, creamy baked macaroni and cheese made with lots of bold smoked gouda cheese with a buttery panko breadcrumb topping. This smoked gouda mac and cheese recipe will be your go-to side dish for weeknight meals and a must-have dish at Thanksgiving dinner!
This is one flavorful macaroni and cheese recipe that bakes up extra creamy with a golden brown top. The bold, smoky flavor from the freshly grated smoked gouda cheese will blow your guests away!
For more comfort food side dishes, check out our Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Southern Cornbread Dressing, and Southern Candied Yams recipes next!
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Ingredients You Need To Make This Recipe
- Dried pasta. You can use any short pasta such as elbow macaroni, pasta shells, cavatappi, farfalle, penne, or fusilli. I used cavatappi for this recipe.
- Unsalted butter. To create the roux base for the mac and cheese.
- Chopped yellow onion. Cooked with the roux for added flavor.
- Fresh garlic. For added freshness and flavor.
- All-purpose flour. Cooked with butter and cream to make the cheese sauce.
- Half and half. Combined with the butter and flour for the cheese sauce.
- Onion powder, garlic powder, nutmeg, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. To season the mac and cheese.
- Smoked gouda and regular young-aged gouda cheese. For incredible creaminess and a bold smoky flavor. You can also use white cheddar instead or regular gouda.
Panko Breadcrumb Topping
- Panko breadcrumbs
- Unsalted butter
- Salt and cracked black pepper
- Fresh chopped parsley
How To Make This Recipe
- Preheat your oven to 375°F. Butter a 9 x 13 baking dish and set it aside.
- Cook the pasta in salted water until almost al dente and still firm to the bite. Drain the pasta and run cold water over it to stop the cooking process. Set the pasta aside.
- Melt 6 tablespoons of butter in a Dutch oven or stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for 2-3 minutes until the onion begins to soften. Add the garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Add the flour to the pot with the butter and onion and cook while stirring for about 2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste. Slowly pour in the half and half while stirring the mixture with a wooden spoon so lumps do not form.
- Season the sauce with onion powder, garlic powder, nutmeg, cayenne pepper, salt, and cracked black pepper. Continue to cook the sauce for 3 to 5 minutes, or until thickened, while stirring occasionally.
- Add two cups of freshly grated smoked gouda cheese and two cups of freshly grated young-aged gouda or white cheddar and stir until the cheese is melted. Add the pasta to the pot and stir until well combined.
- Transfer the macaroni and cheese to the prepared baking dish and sprinkle the remaining cup of smoked gouda cheese evenly over top. In a small bowl, mix the panko breadcrumbs, melted butter, salt, pepper, and chopped parsley together with a fork until combined.
- Pour the breadcrumb mixture over the mac and cheese in an even layer and transfer the mac and cheese to the preheated oven. Bake the macaroni and cheese uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes, or until bubbly and golden brown on top. Allow the mac and cheese to cool for about 10 minutes and enjoy!
Variations and Substitutions
- This baked macaroni and cheese can be made with different varieties of cheese for a different flavor. Just be sure to use good melting cheeses for the best texture. Some of my favorites are:
- Cheddar
- Gruyere
- Monterey Jack
- Fontina
- Cream cheese
- Muenster
- The half and half in this recipe can be substituted for whole milk if that is what you have. You can also use a combination of milk and heavy cream, which is what half and half is.
Make Ahead and Storing Instructions
Smoked gouda mac and cheese can be assembled ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator overnight.
Just be sure to rinse the pasta with cool water so that it is not hot when mixed with the sauce. Also, allow the cheese sauce to cool for about 30 minutes before combining it with the pasta.
These two steps ensure your macaroni and cheese does not become mushy while sitting in the refrigerator. Allow the mac and cheese to sit out at room temperature for about 30 minutes and bake as directed the day you plan to serve.
Leftover mac and cheese can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.
FAQs and Tips For The Best Mac and Cheese
Smoked gouda is a great melting cheese because it is a young-aged gouda with smoke flavor added. Gouda that has not been aged a long time will have a high moisture content, making it great for melting.
Do not add too much flour to the roux. Butter and flour, which is what roux is, help give the mac and cheese structure, but too much flour can cause the cheese sauce to become pasty instead of creamy.
If you would like to take your creaminess to the next level, try adding some cream cheese, mascarpone, or Greek yogurt to your cheese sauce!
And most importantly, never use package pre-shredded cheese for macaroni and cheese! They contain anti-caking agents that prevent the cheese from melting well. Always freshly grate your cheese for mac and cheese!
You most likely overcooked your pasta. Be sure to only boil your pasta until slightly under al dente, or until it still has a bit of snap when bitten into. This ensures it does not overcook when the mac and cheese is baked in the oven.
Baked macaroni and cheese can turn out dry when it is overbaked. Only bake the mac and cheese until it is light golden brown on top and the sides are bubbly.
Macaroni cheese can also become dry if too much flour is added when making the roux. Be sure to measure flour properly to avoid this.
What To Serve With Mac and Cheese
Smoked gouda mac and cheese makes the perfect accompaniment to just about any dinner menu, and it is a must-have side dish for Thanksgiving dinner! Serve this mac and cheese with some of the following dishes:
- Southern Oven Fried Catfish
- Southern Buttermilk Cornbread
- Cajun Smothered Chicken
- Sweet and Spicy Turnip Greens
- Cajun Honey Roasted Carrots
- Creamy Mushroom Chicken
Recommended Tools For This Recipe
More Thanksgiving Recipes You Will Love!
- Southern Baked Macaroni and Cheese
- Southern Sweet Potato Casserole
- Brown Sugar Glaze for Ham
- Creamy Pumpkin Risotto
- 1-Hour Soft Homemade Dinner Rolls
📖 Recipe
Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound uncooked cavatappi pasta or elbow macaroni, pasta shells, or penne
- 6 tablespoons butter unsalted
- ½ cup yellow onion chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 ½ cups half and half or whole milk
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Salt and cracked black pepper to taste
- 3 cups smoked gouda cheese freshly grated, divided
- 2 cups regular young-aged gouda cheese or white cheddar cheese, freshly grated
Panko Breadcrumb Topping
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Cracked black pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley leaves and small stems only, finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F. Butter a 9 x 13 baking dish and set it aside.
- Cook the pasta in salted water until just under al dente and still firm to the bite. Drain the pasta and run cold water over it to stop the cooking process. Set the pasta aside.
- Melt 6 tablespoons of butter in a Dutch oven or stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for 2-3 minutes until the onion begins to soften. Add the garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Add the flour to the pot with the onion and cook while stirring for about 2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste. Slowly pour in the half and half while stirring the mixture with a wooden spoon so lumps do not form.
- Season the sauce with onion powder, garlic powder, nutmeg, cayenne pepper, salt, and cracked black pepper. Continue to cook the sauce for 3 to 5 minutes, or until thickened slightly, while stirring occasionally.
- Add two cups of freshly grated smoked gouda cheese and two cups of freshly grated young-aged gouda or white cheddar and stir until the cheese is melted. Add the pasta to the pot and stir until well combined.
- Transfer the macaroni and cheese to the prepared baking dish and sprinkle the remaining cup of smoked gouda cheese evenly over the top. In a small bowl, mix the panko breadcrumbs, melted butter, salt, pepper, and chopped parsley together with a fork until combined.
- Spread the breadcrumb mixture over the mac and cheese in an even layer and transfer the mac and cheese to the preheated oven. Bake the macaroni and cheese uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes, or until bubbly and golden brown on top. Allow the mac and cheese to cool for about 10 minutes and enjoy!
Notes
- Smoked gouda mac and cheese can be assembled ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator overnight. Just be sure to rinse the pasta with cool water so that it is not hot when mixed with the sauce. Also, allow the cheese sauce to cool for about 30 minutes before combining it with the pasta.
- Allow the mac and cheese to sit out at room temperature for 30 minutes and bake as directed the day you plan to serve.
- Leftover mac and cheese can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.
- Reheat mac and cheese in the microwave or oven.
Marla
After i saw this reCipe oN Instagram, i Knew i Had to try it asap! We made some ribs in thE Smoker for dinneR tOnight, aNd tHis was the perfect sidE to Go with it. Smoky, cheesY, creamy, deliCious! The whoLe familY loved it!
Ashley
Hi Marla! Hearing this makes me so happy! I’m glad you and your family enjoyed the recipe. Happy Holidays!
Marlon Boyd
I can’t wait to use this recipe for The Holiday season!!! I know it will taste amazing!
Ashley Boyd
Thank you and I hope you love it!